Parents shoulder 21 roles a day in lockdown

PARENTS have taken on 21 different roles a day during lockdown – including Tiktoker, grammar expert and hairdresser, a study has found.

Research among 2,000 mums and dads of children aged under 18 found they went from having 14 different “jobs” a day before the pandemic to 21 now.

Being a teacher (72 per cent) is the top role as schools were forced to close their doors to millions.

Nearly half have acted as proof-readers (44%), while others have lit up imaginations as storytellers (42%) or channelled their inner Joe Wicks to become PE instructors (33%).

The research, commissioned by experience provider Buyagift ahead of Mother’s Day, found other common roles include being the family chef (68%), first aider (67%) and importantly, a friend (66%).

Before the pandemic, parents’ to-do lists took up 16 hours and 30 minutes of their week.

But during lockdown this has risen by almost 11 hours to more than 27 hours in total.

The study also found nearly two thirds of parents have been an entertainer in a bid to keep children amused during lockdown.

Many have also taken the digital world by storm, with 21%acting as social media consultants, 15% taking part in Tiktok challenges with their children and 56% found themselves behind the camera as a photographer.